Make Hay While the Sun Shines

I called him “Boy” . A nice boy. Whenever I am in his class teaching , he always said this to me.

“Teacher, I am not smart , I am not intelligent, I am a below average boy academically. I don’t know what I am going to be in the future . I don’t even know what to do once I am out of school.”

I gave him this advise, “Boy, whatever happens always remember even though you are below average academically, even though you might fail your public exam always remember that you must not fail in life. You must know how to live , make the best out of your life.”

I met him 7 years later in one of the biggest supermarket in town. He looked very smart. He is the supervisor at the supermarket. He was very happy to see me. I asked him about his career, his life and his family.

He told me,” Teacher, I will never forget your advise about life . I am having a wonderful life. You know, 4 years ago I got engaged to my village chief’s daughter. The father asked for RM 5,000 (Ringgit Malaysia Five Thousand) in dowry. I obliged them.”

But as it is customary among the Malays (an ethnic in Malaysia ) that if the boy breaks the engagement all the money will be forfeited and kept by the girl’s side. But if the girl breaks the engagement she must return double the amount to the boy. In his case, the girl got another boyfriend and she broke off the engagement , so instead of RM 5,000 he got RM 10,000.

“I know how to live and make the best out of my life as you advised me. I am engaged to another girl now, so just wait and see what happened. If she rejected me, I will be sad but at the same time I will be making more money.”

I was aghast because my advised was not meant to be that.

I don’t think I can sleep well tonight with that thought.

See you..